CB: JSL!!!-

I'm a first-time tsunami-surfer, and thanks for doing this chat.

The Cardinals have a lot of free agents at the end of the season, many of whom aren't filling big roles right now (read: we don't need to re-sign them). If what I've read is correct, the following are off the payroll in November: Mulder ($6.5M), Encarnacion ($6.5M), Isringhausen ($8M), Looper ($5.5M), Springer ($3.5M), Izturis ($2.5M), and a smattering of lower-salaried players. Total for the big-ticket items: $32.5M.

My question is two-part: 1) Do we really have all that coin?; and 2) Even after new contracts/extensions for Ankiel, Ludwick, Lohse (and anyone else I failed to mention), and after raises due to Pujols, Carpenter, etc., what are we going to do with all of that? Could we really be in a position to go get a Furcal, Sheets, or someone of that quality?

Joe Strauss: Your numbers are on target. Yes, the Cardinals will be financially equipped to make a splash in the free agent market. Furcal would be a logical target. Sheets' health history is a red flag for an organization recently burned by long-term deals to pitchers with past problems. Carpenter, Wainwright, potentially Wellemeyer, a No. 3 arm from outside the organization, and one of the following (Garcia, Parisi, Boggs, Todd, Thompson) as a No. 5 appears a more likely mix. Signing Lohse (who will seek $10 million per season) would argue against doing something for Furcal. Jack Wilson may be an option if the club looks beyond Izturis.

Kurt: Don't you get the feeling when watchin Ankiel play center that he is not as good as people give hime credit for being? It seems that he takes some bad angles on balls and often nearly overruns balls and then chaches them ackwardly at the last second. I don't think he has the ability to play as shallow as he does. Edmonds could get away with it cause of his ability to read the ball off the bat, but Ank is not there yet.

Joe Strauss: Ankiel does take some odd angles after balls but is athletic enough to compensate for most missteps. (Edmonds can no longer do so.) Just as Ankiel will mature as a hitter, he will only become a better OF. Some would nominate him for a Gold Glove now. I'm not sure he's all the way there, but he's closer than anyone could have reasonably expected when he arrived last August.

DisCard: Looking 3-4 years ahead, the Cards seem set everywhere except 2B, 3B & SS,though I recognize the recent draft could change that. Except for Wallace, I see no 5 or even 4 tool player emerging at those other positions. I also see no one nearly ready who would strike fear into the heart of a left-handed pitcher.
I'm lead to believe that the second best immediate prospect has no place in the majors, since he can only catch. They've got more second line pitchers than we could ever use. They've got enough outfielders who hit right-handers better that surely one is expendable. Finally, they certainly can't keep all the pending free agent pitchers, like Looper, next year. Consequently I don't see how the Cards would be endangering their future health to make a deal. It looks more to me like they are afraid to pull the trigger.

Joe Strauss: There are those outside the organization who completely agree with your appraisal. However, the club does not discount the possibility of Bryan Anderson apprenticing under Molina next season. He would then be 22. Questions remain if he projects defensively behind the plate.

Todd F: Chatster,
It was great explaining to my 9 year old son what a heroine addict is after watching the homerun derby. Do you think that was a good story for ESPN? In my opinion, if you feel that is a feel good story then you've obviously ate to many paint chips as a kid.
Why wouldn't you have Pujols, Howard and Griffey in the derby?
Make the clubs agree to it.

My wife's volleyball team's name is "I'd Hit That", do you think this is a good name for a team made up of Catholic women?
Thanks..

Joe Strauss: It's certainly a better story than someone who didn't make it back. Josh Hamilton has been very up front about his condition and recovery. Wouldn't you find it more difficult to explain to a 9-year-old why a could would enable a player whose teammates were well aware of his substance problems and even concoct fictitious medical conditions to mask the problem?
Howard and Griffey were not in the All-Star Game. As printed in the P-D last week, Pujols' past reluctance to commit to the Derby influenced MLB not to approach him this time. I'm betting three months' mortgage (a very sizeable amount given the opulate StraussHaus) that El Hombre will be front and center next July.
As for your wife's team name, I'd have to examine photos of the team members before offering my endorsement.

GScottAR: Joe,

I have taken a beating the last couple of days on the message boards with the following two trade proposals. I am interested in your take.

Trade Pujols, Kennedy, and Reyes to the Red Sox for Beckett, Matsuzaka, Pedroia, and Youkilis. Then trade Duncan, Garcia, and Rasmus to the Rockies for Holliday.

The new lineup would be: 2B Pedroia, CF Ankiel, RF Ludwick, LF Holliday, 1B Youkilis, 3B Glaus, C Molina, Pitcher, SS Izturis. The new rotation would be: Beckett, Carpenter, Matsuzaka, Wainwright, Lohse.

I know Albert is the most popular Cardinal ever but the above team would win the World Series in my opinion. Besides, let’s get something for Albert before his elbow blows up.

Joe Strauss: Counseling is available, sir. Listen to your cyber buddies and seek it immediately.